Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Puerto Rico Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Puerto Rico

Name: Puerto Rico
Address: PR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $1,568 in Puerto Rico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,133 in China versus $2,391 in Puerto Rico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,553 in China versus $3,214 in Puerto Rico.

Living in China costs about 55% less than in Puerto Rico on average.

China (47% below) and Puerto Rico (18% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in Puerto Rico: monthly costs span $1,060 to $2,431, compared to $521–$1,202 in China. City choice carries more weight in Puerto Rico.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.71 ¥18.35

$15.24 $15.24

-82.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 ¥157

$73.9 $73.9

-68.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 ¥33.84

$8.92 $8.92

-43.95%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.88

$3.21 $3.21

-4.05%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ¥3.25

$1.60 $1.60

-70.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$1.28 $1.28

-77.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ¥6.75

$2.54 $2.54

-60.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 ¥14.24

$4.11 $4.11

-48.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.82

$2.08 $2.08

-15.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.27

$3.16 $3.16

-47.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.68

$2.30 $2.30

-56.96%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.62

$4.98 $4.98

-68.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ¥88.4

$9.81 $9.81

33.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ¥22.42

$8.66 $8.66

-61.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 ¥73.2

$11.52 $11.52

-6.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$5.26 $5.26

-66.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.40

$2.68 $2.68

-53.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.19

$4.04 $4.04

-62.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.13

$4.53 $4.53

-73.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.17

$3.20 $3.20

-76.25%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.21

$2.70 $2.70

-65.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$2.68 $2.68

-78.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.60

$1.81 $1.81

-70.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.45 ¥23.32

$10.81 $10.81

-68.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 ¥80.9

$15.77 $15.77

-24.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.58

$2.34 $2.34

-64.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.17

$3.43 $3.43

-51.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$1.71 $1.71

-74.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$40.65 $40.65

-48.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.34

$5.95 $5.95

-76.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$0.98 $0.98

-66.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.74 ¥45.59

$27.87 $27.87

-75.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.66

$0.92 $0.92

22.83%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.6K ¥132.8K

$35.6K $35.6K

-44.97%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$16.8K ¥113.7K

$27.4K $27.4K

-38.80%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$50.7 ¥343

$299 $299

-83.02%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.12 ¥68.5

$70.1 $70.1

-85.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.42 ¥77.3

$67.3 $67.3

-83.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.33 ¥273

$33.87 $33.87

19.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.57 ¥98.6

$33.39 $33.39

-56.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 ¥43.34

$9.07 $9.07

-29.44%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$417 ¥2,822

$434 $434

-3.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ¥116.7K

$7,547 $7,547

128.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.55 ¥308

$48.28 $48.28

-5.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.26 ¥218

$46.20 $46.20

-30.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 ¥494

$87.1 $87.1

-16.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.6 ¥498

$98.6 $98.6

-25.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 ¥2,931

$811 $811

-46.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ¥1,768

$613 $613

-57.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$905 ¥6,126

$1,606 $1,606

-43.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$533 ¥3,606

$1,132 $1,132

-52.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,965 ¥33.6K

$5,454 $5,454

-8.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,518 ¥17.0K

$2,436 $2,436

3.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,063 ¥7,194

$2,687 $2,687

-60.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

5.62

-27.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for China: June 15, 2026

Last update for Puerto Rico: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $429 in Puerto Rico. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,603 in San Juan.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $2,404 in Puerto Rico. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 49% higher in Puerto Rico.

Dining out costs 252% more in Puerto Rico.

Public transport is 157% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 179% higher in Puerto Rico, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Puerto Rico.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

China vs Puerto Rico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $862 per month in China and $1,746 in Puerto Rico, there's a 103% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Puerto Rico is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Puerto Rico it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Puerto Rico may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.